If it feels like every time you turn around you're finding ticks or hearing about them, you're not imagining things. The ticks in Rhode Island are worse this year. Why? Well it is simple math. Let's take a look.
Before we work the math, we need to get a few myths dispelled first. These myths are scientifically proven to mess up the math.
Myth 1: Ticks hibernate.
Nope. These bugs do not hibernate. They can be active all year long. If you love going out hunting for deer, you know that you're not alone. In a mild winter, ticks love to hunt them too. They can be found living on deer by the dozens in the middle of winter, probably because those deer give them a little extra heat to stay active.
Myth 2: Ticks don't like the cold.
They don't mind it. Ticks are active in temperatures as low as 38 °F. That means that if you crunch through the woods on a mild winter day and run into ticks, you could be in for a very bad surprise. This happens to children quite often.
Myth 3: Ticks only live in nature.
Nope. You don't have to go out into the Rhode Island woods to get ticks. They are happy to come to you. While you aren't likely to find them exploiting the cracks and other entry points in your exterior walls, they are more than capable of riding their way in on a beloved pet, or a not-so-beloved rodent.
There. Now that we have taken care of those myths, we can get to that math we talked about. Last year, we had a mild winter. This allows ticks more days to be active (even during the winter). But, especially during what we call "tick season." A longer tick season means more ticks. It is simple math. So, if you were wondering why there are so many ticks this year, now you know. The bigger question is what are you going to do about it?
Fortunately, the answer to that can also be solved with a little bit of math. Fewer ticks in your yard equals less chance of ticks getting into your home. If you want to reduce the chances of getting tick-related diseases like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, powassan virus, Southern tick-associated rash illness, tularemia, and babesiosis, then we recommend getting routine tick treatments for your yard.
Big Blue Bug Solutions has been providing safe and effective tick solutions in Rhode Island since 1935. You can trust our experienced team to safely protect you, your children, and your pets from these unwelcome invaders.